Many lost.

[FutureAndAHope]

The bible says that “God is Love” 1 John 4 :8, and Jesus always spoke of doing to others what we would have them do to us. One scripture that always confused me was:


Mat 7:12-14 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.


It seems to be a contradiction, first Jesus says treat others with kindness, then He suggests that most people do not find salvation. It seems odd that God would not follow the first rule in His dealing with man.

So how can God be love, yet deal harshly with man? I believe God is a planning God, he marks out what is, and is not acceptable within His creation. He seals it, or sticks to the plan. It is a universal truth, that there is only one way of salvation for all creation. God requires love from His creation, and acceptance of His works. But why is man perishing, if God is love? I believe the truth is found in Genesis, where God said:


Gen 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.


God made man with the ability to choose, but His creation continually chose evil over good. God was therefore sorry He had made man. But man was still bound to the rules of the creator, thus, following evil many would perish.

We need to focus our attention on the cross, its redemption, and God’s nature of kindness, that He wants us to display.

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

 

[com7fy8]

Mat 7:12-14 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.


It seems to be a contradiction, first Jesus says treat others with kindness, then He suggests that most people do not find salvation. It seems odd that God would not follow the first rule in His dealing with man.

So - - - Jesus gives us the "Golden Rule", right along with how many will not find the narrow way.

I think of this > Jesus is God's own Son, and here He is talking with us and saying to do to others what you want them to do to you. And Jesus being here to talk with people is God's demonstration of giving His own Self as His Son to us, so He is loving us so personally and gently and generously . . . Himself given to loving us all the way, like this, by speaking with us, plus of course being given for us on the cross.

He has loved us, like this, doing what He wants us to do to Him, to love > to give ourselves to Him, all the way, loving Him. And give ourselves to love any and all people.

So, instead of suspecting a contradiction . . . we might see how God is being our example, here, by Himself doing to us as He would desire us to do to Him.

And this is for our own good, right? So, when we do for others what we want them to do . . . do for them what would be for their own good to do to us.

God has given all to us; but we need to give all to Him so this works well. This could be at least part of what Jesus means by finding the straight and narrow way which so many do not find. Ones can not get out of their own selves, but ones hold on to their own lives and do not give themselves all the way to loving; they do not give themselves all the way to God.

But if I give myself to the LORD, before doing anything else . . . I am in peace with God, in sharing with Him in His creativity for how to love any person, at all, and I am encouraged and ready to be encouraging as a good example of how to love, so I can be this good for any person . . . so we can help people to find out how to love.

So, why don't people find this way? Because they are not God's children. Children can pick up your ways and follow your example, because they are with you and personally relating with you, feeding on your example.

But ones can't benefit from God's good example of giving Jesus to us, because they are out of touch, not having contact with God in them. And so, they are not His children, and thus can not follow His example which our Father has given.

"God is love," (in 1 John 4:8&16) but people are not love; their character simply is not capable of knowing real love and appreciating how love really is; but Jesus has been right up close and personal with people, and they in their character became able to scream for Jesus to be crucified . . . because of how their character is.

So, yes we might see a contradiction, but we can ask, "How can we get the character which has us in personal sharing with God in real love so we can find out how to love?" Jesus is our way, including how He corrects us > in our character > Hebrews 12:4-14.

 

[fhansen]

The bible says that “God is Love” 1 John 4 :8, and Jesus always spoke of doing to others what we would have them do to us. One scripture that always confused me was:


Mat 7:12-14 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.


It seems to be a contradiction, first Jesus says treat others with kindness, then He suggests that most people do not find salvation. It seems odd that God would not follow the first rule in His dealing with man.

So how can God be love, yet deal harshly with man? I believe God is a planning God, he marks out what is, and is not acceptable within His creation. He seals it, or sticks to the plan. It is a universal truth, that there is only one way of salvation for all creation. God requires love from His creation, and acceptance of His works. But why is man perishing, if God is love? I believe the truth is found in Genesis, where God said:


Gen 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.


God made man with the ability to choose, but His creation continually chose evil over good. God was therefore sorry He had made man. But man was still bound to the rules of the creator, thus, following evil many would perish.

We need to focus our attention on the cross, its redemption, and God’s nature of kindness, that He wants us to display.

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

A teaching I’m familiar with sums it up simply and honestly IMO:
“At the evening of life we shall be judged on our love.”

God’s love desires that same love in and for us. That’s His very purpose for man, in fact, as we begin a journey with Him by turning to Him in faith and are then increasingly transformed into His own image.